Rotary accumulation device

ABSTRACT

A line of material accumulating device comprising a rotary accumulator with two diametrically spaced axially extending stacks of individual planetary reels adapted for receiving a line of material therebetween, helical feed screw means for selectively feeding the rotary accumulator in opposite axial directions in conjunction with rotation of the accumulator in opposite angular directions for selectively accumulating the line of material onto successive reels and discharging the accumulated material therefrom, and a motor for applying a torque for rotating the rotary accumulator in one angular direction for accumulating the line of material and permitting rotation of the accumulator in the opposite direction for discharging the accumulated material in accordance with the line tension.

United States Patent 91 a 1 1 3,854,675 Hunke Dec. 17,1974

[ ROTARY ACCUMULATION DEVICE [57] ABSTRACT v [76] Inventor: Siefried H.Hunke, 268 Babbitt Rd.,

[22] Filed: Dec. 14, 1973 Thomaston, Conn. 06787 A line of materialaccumulating device comprising arotary accumulator with twodiametrically spaced axi- PP 424,867 ally extending stacks of individualplanetary reels adapted for receiving a line of material therebetween,

52 us. 01 242/154, 226/90 226/114 helical feed Screw means Selectivelyfeeding [51 1m. 01 B65h 51/20 Mary accumulaw' axial dirwims [58] Fieldof Search 226/11'3- i 4 118 195 junction with rotation of theaccumulator in opposite 0. 242/154 4709 47 1 47 11 47 13 angulardirections for selectively accumulating the line of material ontosuccessive reels and discharging the [56] References Cited accumulatedmaterial therefrom, and a motor for ap- UNITED STATES, PATENTS plying atorque for. rotating the rotary accumulator in one angular d1rect1on foraccumulating the hue of ma- 2,326,7l4 8/1943 Wholton 242 154 teria] andpermitting rotation f accumulator in lf'narchand 242/154 the oppositedirection for discharging the accumulated oung 242/4709 material inaccordance with the line tension.

Primary Examiner-Even C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerRichard K. ThomsonZfttorney, ifgent, or Fzrm-Prutzman, Hayes, Kalb & Chilton v 7 Claims, 2Drawing Figures ROTARY ACCUMULATION DEVICE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The intermittent or continuous processing of lines ofmaterials having a relatively large ratio of length to cross-sectionalarea has brought about the development of numerous accumulators orloopers to either accommodate velocity differentials between theinitiating and the concluding points of the process, or to permitstoppage of either or both extremities of such process lines withoutinterrupting the process itself. Such accumulators or loopers range incomplexity from simple pits for depositing and retrieving a line ofmaterial in process, to a single track or multiple tracks in planesranging from horizontal to vertical, having multiple rotary devicestraveling the plane or planes for selectively accumulating anddischarging a line of material in process. Since the length of materialto be accommodated by such accumulators or loopers is a direct functionof their length and the number of tracks, their size and complexity growwith the length required, and the threading of such devices is oftenelaborate and time consuming. Rotary motion by some members of suchdevices serves primarily or entirely the purpose of con-' veying theline of material inprocessand providing angular compensation for lengthvariations.

It is a primary object of the present invention to pro- -vide a new andimproved accumulating device employing primarily rotary motion andrelated axial motor for accumulating a relatively long length of a lineof material in process and discharging any accumulated material.

In accordance with the present invention, the rotary accumulating deviceisparticularly suitable for, but not limited to, lines used in theprocess of cable, wire, rope, string, tape or strip.

Other objects will be in part obvious andin part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from thefollowing detailed description and accompanying drawing of anillustrative application of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing; 1

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation view, partly brokenaway and partly in section and showing a line of material in process inphantom, of an embodiment of a rotary accumulating device incorporatingthe present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away and partly in section andshowing the line of material in process in phantom, of the rotaryaccumulating device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing indetail wherein like numerals represent like parts, a preferredembodiment of a rotary accumulating device incorporating the presentinvention is shown comprising a rotary accumulator having a supportrotor 12 and two axially extending parallel stacks of coaxial circularreel members ,4 mounted thereon. The reel members 4 of the parallelstacks are shown mounted in lateral alignment to provide a plurality ofparallel reel systems, and the reel members are individually shaped forguiding and supporting the line of material 1 in process and forpermitting the line of material to pass from the reel member 4 of onereel stack to the reel member of the adjacent reel system of the otherreel stack. The reel members 4 are mounted for independent rotary motionon parallel shaft members 3 which are preferably but not necessarilydiametrically spaced and radially equidistant and parallel to theprincipal axis of the rotary accumulator 10 whereby the reel members 4are capable of planetary motion about the main axis of the rotaryaccumulator 10. Although only two axially extending stacks of the reelmembers are shown, it is to be recognized that in some applications,three or more axially extending stacks, which are preferably bothparallel and equiangularly spaced, may be preferred. a

The line of material 1 in process passes partly around a rotary entryguide 5 and between leading or outermost reel members 4 and partlyaround a rotary exit guide 6. The ease by which the line of material 1in process can be threaded through the apparatus is readilyrecognizable.

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the rotary accumulatingdeviceshowing the circular reel members 4, the reel supporting shafts 3,the support rotor 12 having an integral combination drive and supportshaft 14 mounted within a suitable journal 7, a rotaryto-lin'earaxial'indexing mechanism Sand a drive motor 9. The drive motor 9 may bea suitable hydraulic motor for applying a substantially constant torquefor rotating the rotary accumulator 10 in one angular direction, in theclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. The shown indexing mechanism 8is of the helical feed screw type and comprises a male helical feedscrew or cam form- 5, clockwise partly around one of the outermost orlead reel members 4, between two outermost or lead reel members 4,counterclockwise partly around the other lead reel member 4, and thenclockwise partly around the exit guide 6. When the tension imposed uponthe line of material in process diminishes and the torque exerted by thedrive motor 9 exceeds the resisting torque imposed by the line tension,the rotary accumulator 10 is rotated by the motor 9, in the clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 2, and the indexing mechanism 8 provides forsimultaneously axially indexing the rotor accumulator. 10 outwardlyrelative to'the entry and exit guides 5, 6 and such that the line ofmaterial is simultaneously wound from the entrance and exit of therotary accumulator 10 onto the accumulator while at the same time theline of material is continuously longitudinally fed along its path oftravel.

More particularly, as the rotary accumulator 10 is totated and axiallyindexed to accumulate a line of material in process, the line ofmaterial is simultaneously wound from the two lead reels 4 of the tworeel stacks onto the two reels of the adjacent-reel system and is woundfrom each reel 4 onto a laterally and axially spaced reel of the otherreel stack. The line accumulation process can continue until all of thereel members 4 have been used. The discharge of the accumulated line ofmaterial in process occurs in the opposite manner when the line tensionexerts sufficient torque to overcome the motor torque and rotate andaxially shift the rotary accumulator in the opposite rotational andaxial directions.

Alternatively, where desired and where, the material process permits orsuggests it, the entry guide 5 and exit guide 6 may be mounted andshifted in opposite axial directions in conjunction with the rotation ofthe rotary accumulator in opposite angular directions to provide thedesired relative axial displacement of the rotary accumulator and entryand exit guides to properly wrap the line of material onto the reels 4.

Since the width of the reel members 4 may be approximately equal to andnot substantially greater than the width of the line of material inprocess, it can be for relatively axially indexing in opposite axialdirections the reel stacks and the entry and exit guide means materialand discharging it at both the entrance and seen that the reel stacksmay employ a large number of I coaxial reels for accumulating a verysubstantial length of material in process in accordance with the presentinvention.

With the accumulation and discharge of an accumlated line of material inprocess taking place, for instance, in response to variations of linetension, the

suitability of the rotary accumulating device as a means for thecompensation of process tension fluctuations is evident.

' As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, variousmodifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specificdisclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of thepresent invention.

1 claim:

1. An accumulating device for selectively accumulating and discharging aline of material being longitudinally fed along a path of travelcomprising a rotary accumulator, entry and exit guide means for feedingthe line of material to and from the rotary accumulator, the

rotary accumulator being rotatable about a first axis of rotation andhaving a plurality of stacks of a plurality of independently rotatablecoaxial reels mounted for rotation about axes generally parallel to andradially offset from said first axis such that the rotatable reels aremounted for planetary movement about said first axis, said stacks beingspaced for initially threading the line of material between and passingthe line of material partly around entry reels thereof, indexing meansexit of the rotary accumulator and respectively onto and off ofsuccessive reels of the reel stacks, and rotation control meansproviding for rotating the rotary accumulator in opposite angulardirections for selectively accumulating and discharging a line ofmaterial.

2. An accumulating device according to claim 1 wherein the plurality ofstacks of rotatable coaxial reels have axes of rotation generallyequiangularly spaced about and generally equally radially offset fromthe first axis of rotation of the rotary accumulator.

3. An accumulating device according to claim 1 wherein the indexingmeans is operable for relatively axially indexing the rotary accumulatorand entry and exit guide means in opposite axial directions forrelatively axially indexing the reel stacks and the entry and exit guidemeans in opposite axial directions.

4. An accumulaing device according to claim 3 wherein the indexing meansis operable for axially indexing the rotary accumulator.

5. An accumulating device according to claim 4 wherein the indexingmeans comprises helical cam and follower means coaxial with the rotorassembly for axially indexing the rotary accumulator in opposite axialdirections in conjunctionwith the rotation thereof in opposite angulardirections.

6. An accumulaing device according to claim 5 wherein the helical camand follower means comprises a helical cam section mounted on the rotaryaccumula tor coaxially therewith, and fixed follower means coop eratingwith the helical cam.

7. An accumulating device according to claim 1 wherein the rotationcontrol means comprises motor means for applying a torque to rotate therotary accumulator in one angular direction to accumulate a line ofmaterial onto the reel stacks and to permit the rotary accumulator torotate in the opposite angular direction lated line of material.

- UNTEED STATES PATENT UFFICE CERTIFICATE @F UUEQTEQN Patent No,3,854,675 Dated Decembef 17 1974.

IQventofls) Siegfried H. Hunke It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

The Title "Rotary Accumulation Device" should read "Rotary AccumulatingDevice-.

In the Inventor's name, "Siefried" should read --Siegfried--'.'

Column 4, line 23, "accumulaing" should read -accumulating--.

Column 4, line 32, "acoumulaing" should read; -accumu1ating--.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of February 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

C MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officerand Trademarks USCOMM-DC 60876-P69 FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) I I k 11.5.GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I959 0-365-334.

1. An accumulating device for selectively accumulating and discharging aline of material being longitudinally fed along a path of travelcomprising a rotary accumulator, entry and exit guide means for feedingthe line of material to and from the rotary accumulator, the rotaryaccumulator being rotatable about a first axis of rotation and having aplurality of stacks of a plurality of independently rotatable coaxialreels mounted for rotation about axes generally parallel to and radiallyoffset from said first axis such that the rotatable reels are mountedfor planetary movement about said first axis, said stacks being spacedfor initially threading the line of material between and passing theline of material partly around entry reels thereof, indexing means forrelatively axially indexing in opposite axial directions the reel stacksand the entry and exit guide means in conjunction with the rotation ofthe rotor assembly whereby the rotor assembly is rotatable in oppositeangular directions for respectively accumulating a line of material anddischarging it at both the entrance and exit of the rotary accumulatorand respectively onto and off of successive reels of the reel stacks,and rotation control means providing for rotating the rotary accumulatorin opposite angular directions for selectively accumulating anddischarging a line of material.
 2. An accumulating device according toclaim 1 wherein the plurality of stacks of rotatable coaxial reels haveaxes of rotation generally equiangularly spaced about and generallyequally radially offset from the first axis of rotation of the rotaryaccumulator.
 3. An accumulating device according to claim 1 wherein theindexing means is operable for relatively axially indexing the rotaryaccumulator and entry and exit guide means in opposite axial directionsfor relatively axially indexing the reel stacks and the entry and exitguide means in opposite axial directions.
 4. An accumulaing deviceaccording to claim 3 wherein the indexing means is operable for axiallyindexing the rotary accumulator.
 5. An accumulating device according toclaim 4 wherein the indexing means comprises helical cam and followermeans coaxial with the rotor assembly for axially indexing the rotaryaccumulator in opposite axial directions in conjunction with therotation thereof in opposite angular directions.
 6. An accumulaingdevice according to claim 5 wherein the helical cam and follower meanscomprises a helical cam section mounted on the rotary accumulatorcoaxially therewith, and fixed follower means cooperating With thehelical cam.
 7. An accumulating device according to claim 1 wherein therotation control means comprises motor means for applying a torque torotate the rotary accumulator in one angular direction to accumulate aline of material onto the reel stacks and to permit the rotaryaccumulator to rotate in the opposite angular direction against theapplied torque to discharge the accumulated line of material.